eBird Report - Gray Farm Road, Littleton, MA, 6/22/10 - I really need to invest in a small, compact pair of binocs!!!

This isn't the first time I wished I had a small, compact pair of binoculars on me, you know, something you could possibly stuff in a pant pocket or what not, something like 8x32 to 10x32. Today was one of those instances where I wish I had such binocs on my person. Birding was not my main objective today, as I was out walking my beloved little fox-like dog, Gildor (whom is a tri-colored Pembroke Welsh Corgi). NOTE: Picture was taken last July while on vacation in Pittsburg, NH; this particular shot taken while visiting Scott's Bog specifically).

But when I do venture out and take the "puppa" for a "W" (walk), I am always listening to my surroundings, trying to look for movement and what not because ya never know what is out there even if birding is not your primary focus. Every bird I saw today I could make out well enough, and coupled with these birds observed singing, was 100% positive on all identifications despite having no binocs on hand. Still, how very frustrating, because I could've gotten excellent views of such birds as Indigo Buntings, Prairie Warblers, a Carolina Wren, a House Wren, an Eastern Phoebe and an Eastern Bluebird. Oh well, such is life. Its just nice to see such birds in an area that will soon be fully developed for residential use, a locale that was probably once fields, pastures and secondary growth woodlands. Nonetheless, it is just such a pleasure to be more aware of your surroundings, to listen to everything that calls the area around you home, and of course, since birding is such an avid and passionate hobby of mine, always being frosty for the presence of our fine-feathered avian friends! Happy birding everybody!!

Location:     Gray Farm Road, Littleton, MA
Observation date:     6/22/10
Notes:     This area also encompasses what I assume will be later called Darrell Road (according to Google Maps) once this particular area of housing development is complete. Was out walking my dog, hence why I listed this is an "incidental" observation. Was trying to observe the birds around me while with my dog. Much birdier than it has been in the past in this partially developed residential area.
Number of species:     29

Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus     1
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura     4
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe     1
Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceus     1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata     2
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     3
Bank Swallow - Riparia riparia     2
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     3
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor     2
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     1
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus     1
House Wren - Troglodytes aedon     1
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis     1
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     6
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis     1
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos     3
Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor     2
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas     1
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina     1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia     2
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis     2
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea     2
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     5
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula     2
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater     1
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus     2
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis     4
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus     5

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/massaudubon/)